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I recently picked up a hive in an old packing prate about 1'-6" wide 3' long and 1' deep, I was temped to just bring it home set it in it's spot and let it be, but figured that would probably just cause problems, but anyway, how should I go about making the bars? Should I try to modify the box in anyway that would make it easier to work? I have never even seen a top bar hive in person so I have no idea how you work them and go about this.

&gt;I recently picked up a hive in an old packing prate about 1'-6" wide 3' long and 1' deep

You mean it IS a packing crate and it already HAS bees in it?

&gt;I was temped to just bring it home set it in it's spot and let it be, but figured that would probably just cause problems, but anyway, how should I go about making the bars?

Is it open on the top? If bees are in it it must either be closed on four sides or have the open side down. I can't really picture the situation well enough to advise.

&gt;Should I try to modify the box in anyway that would make it easier to work? I have never even seen a top bar hive in person so I have no idea how you work them and go about this.

Well, the idea is that you have a box of approximatly the dimensions you have with bars somewhere between 1 1/2" and 1 1/4" wide with 1 3/8" being the most common. These have some kind of centering device on them, either a starter strip of wax, an angle with a peak in the center or a strip of wood. The bees build the comb hanging from the bar and you CAREFULLY remove these to work it.

I think it's worth trying to put top bars on it. But the other option is just to cut out the combs and tie them into frames in a standard hive or make some frames for your top bar hive to tie them into.